State of Emergency: Andy Uba Tackles Obiano; Asks Whereabouts Of Security Paraphernalia Bought

The Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the Anambra November 6 election, Andy Uba, has asked Governor Willy Obiano to account for the many Security Paraphernalia, including helicopters, horses and dogs which the Governor claimed to have bought to tackle crimes in the State.

Uba was reacting to Obiano’s buck-passing in the face of the worsening security situation in the State.

In a statement signed by the Director, Media and Publicity, Senator Andy Uba Governorship Campaign Organisation, SAUGCO, Hon. Victor Afam Ogene, Uba said Obiano had all the while shown unseriousness in the face of the dire security challenges in the state, only to wake up late on the wrong side of the bed, and is blaming everybody but himself.

Nothing points to this unseriousness than the Governor’s absence, the statement pointed out, at the Zonal security meeting held in Enugu a couple of days ago. Anambra State was the only State whose Governor was not present, and sent no representative.

SAUGCO wondered why Obiano went on a campaign tour instead of joining others at a meeting where security issues, especially, concerning Anambra State were discussed. Obiano was warned to stop politicising the Security situation in the State, and face the task ahead.

After weeks of prodding Governor Willy Obiano of Anambra state to come off the high horse he bestrides and frontally tackle the deteriorating insecurity in the state, the governor appears to have woken up.

But as is mostly typical of anyone who wakes up from the wrong side of his bed after a deep slumber, Gov. Obiano, like an intemperate workman who quarrels with his tools, is blaming everyone else but himself, for the threats by the federal authorities to declare a state of emergency in Anambra if the current state of anomie persists.

“Is the number of victims of the politically motivated violence in Anambra State anything near what the nation has seen even in such states as Imo and Ebonyi controlled by the ruling All Progressives Congres(APC)? Why hasn’t Malami considered a state of emergency in these APC-controlled states?,” Gov. Obiano thundered in a riposte signed by his Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. C. Don Adinuba yesterday.

Adinuba was reacting to what ordinarily is tantamount to a wake-up call by the Hon. Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, for the state government to rise up to its responsibility of addressing the insecurity challenges in the state.

In a reaction to the Anambra State Government’s attempt to befuddle the issues, and by so doing change the narrative, the Senator Andy Uba Governorship Campaign Organisation, SAUGCO urges Gov. Obiano to quit his buck passing tactics.

“When Gov. Obiano speaks about past security challenges in neighbouring Imo and Ebonyi states, the question to ask is: didn’t governors of both states take urgent, practical steps that restored normalcy?

“When only two days ago, on Tuesday, October 5, 2021 governors of the South east met at Enugu to seek solutions to rising insecurity, especially in Anambra, why was Obiano the only governor not in attendance?

“Why did he rather choose to go dancing on a campaign romp at Otuocha, Anambra East LGA of the state, on the same day other serious governors gathered to seek a regional solution to a problem most prevalent in his state; in spite of the fact that he is not a candidate in next month’s governorship election?

“In deed, where are the surveillance cameras, drones, helicopters, horses and dogs which Gov. Obiano claimed to have bought to tackle crime and criminality in the state?

“As a matter of fact, it is high time the governor offered explanation about the whereabouts of these security paraphernalia, especially against the widespread belief among the citizenry that most of the items have been sold and the dogs and horses used as culinary delights.

“In simple language, the problem with Anambra is that Gov. Obiano has long abandoned governance and is more concerned about what he can grab for himself. Seeking, therefore, to whimsically put the blame on politics, or the Attorney General of the Federation is not only disingenuous, but downright false.

“Were there elections in sight when Awka, the state capital, Ihiala and Okija areas was turned into killing fields, in fierce cult clashes; when the commercial city of Onitsha was overwhelmed by criminals and jungle justice resurfaced; or when worshippers in Ozubulu were massacred one Sunday morning, and their killers still at large; or when the whole Omabala part of the state was engulfed in bitter inter communal clashes that has affected no fewer than 10 communities?

“In all of these instances, Gov. Obiano simply refused to take charge – a beaten pathway he is still treading.

“As we noted in our last statement dated October 3, 2021, instead of seeking ways of making restitution to the people of Anambra who have been misgoverned over the last seven years and half, leading to key stalwarts and functionaries of both the party and government leaving in droves to join the APC, Governor Obiano, rather, refuses to act, lending credence to claims in several quarters that he does not want the November 6, 2021 governorship election to hold.

“While the consideration of a state of emergency by the Federal Government may not be hilarious for any democrat, let’s equally conscientiously state that the government has the primary responsibility of protecting lives and property of the people, especially when the governor has obviously abdicated his duties and gone to sleep in the day.

“It suffices to say that the state of emergency being mulled is consequent upon the docility of the Anambra government to secure its territory and protect the people.

“It is still not late for the governor to retrace his steps and act like the governor he is – well, until March 17, 2022 when by the grace of God, Senator Andy Uba would succeed him.”